Movie review: ‘Covenant’ is a feather in the cap of the ‘Alien’ series

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May 18, 2017 at 3:22 PMMay 18, 2017 at 3:22 PM

By Ed Symkus More Content Now

The “Alien” series has had its up and downs over the years, starting strong with Ridley Scott’s 1979 original, getting stronger with James Cameron’s 1986 sequel “Aliens,” then spinning off into sometimes inferior follow-ups. But there’s always been something alluring about the always profit-making franchise.

With this sixth entry in the Alienology, Ridley Scott, who returned to the director’s chair 5 years ago for “Prometheus,” is again back, and he’s not only proven that he hasn’t lost anything as far as a master of gripping storytelling, he’s also made the best of the bunch since “Aliens.”

“Alien: Covenant” is at once a direct sequel - set a decade later - to the “Alien” prequel “Prometheus” and a nod, in structure and content, to “Alien.” Like that very first film, “Covenant” has three acts: A relatively calm buildup; a middle section of squirm-inducing horror and a finale of spectacular action. The first and sixth films feature cryptic signals sent out across space (the first had a distress beacon; the sixth has the voice of John Denver). Both films have a look at robots ... excuse me, synthetics, gone bad. Both have sequences in which decisions must be made over letting a possibly contaminated person back on board the ship.

But back to the structure. It would be wrong to think that nothing happens in the first hour; plenty does. To get full enjoyment out of it, you should see “Prometheus” (or at least read a synopsis of it) first. “Covenant” opens by flashing back before that film, to the introduction of one of its main characters, the synthetic David (Michael Fassbender) just after Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) has created him and is teaching him how to play Wagner. It’s here that the central question of this pair of films - Where do we come from? - is first mentioned.

Time passes, the happenings of “Prometheus” have gone by, and we’re on the spaceship Covenant, in the midst of a long journey with 15 crew members, 2,000 colonists, all in deep sleep, and lots of embryos on board, headed to the habitable Origae 6, and the start of a new life. Things begin to go wrong: A space storm, damage to the ship, the need for the new, improved synthetic named Walter (also played by Fassbender) to wake the crew, and the accidental death of the captain (a very brief cameo, in flashback, by James Franco).

Remember, this is the “relatively calm buildup” part of the film. Wait till you see what happens later.

The folks to focus on are Daniels (Katherine Waterston), the strong-willed science officer who, with the death of the captain, has become a widow; the unsure Chris Oram (Billy Crudup) who was second in command and now must step up to the plate and fill some very big shoes; and Fassbender’s two synthetics, who get into an intriguing philosophical discussion of mankind when they meet.

In the end, it’s not about where we came from but where we - or at least the people who are still alive - are going. You probably don’t want to know.